l would like to know how much it would cost if l took it to a Honda dealership and had them check out my engine to see what is wrong.

Will they charge a huge sum just to check it?

Thanks in advance.
It is a 97 model.. l do not think l can see the codes myself.

yes,,,it will always cost you. Take the car to autozone car parts and they will scan for free (unless u are in california )
copy the trouble codes #s and repost here wit the # is and any other information that is relevant.

They will charge you quite a bit, most likely.

If you take it to an Auto Zone they will scan your engine for free, take down the codes it reads and you can research what they mean.

Auto Zone will pull the codes, but usually will not clear them. Common failures could be Oxygen sensor, coolant temp sensor & Mass Air Flow sensor (you will lose power if this is this case). Have u checked ur fuel economy lately? If it is down, it could be an oxygen sensor. Once u find out what is wrong, a competent garage that works on imports can fix it. The Honda dealership is not always the cheapest. The car has been out long enough that it does not have to have a dealer to fix it.

Put it this way. The sooner you go, the smaller the repair.because the least amount of damage has occurred. Find out what it is. It may be minor or you car is on the verge of having a major ''heart attack''

You can see the codes. There is a connector under the dash (behind the ashtray l think) that you short and then read the amount of flashes on the dash lights to get a code. You have to look up how it is done on this year because they are all slightly different.
What l usually do is to disconnect the battery, then reconnect it (after a few minutes) to reset the ECU in case it was just a fluke error.

The repairs to ur car may be free. Honda extended the emissions warranty on all 1997 vehicles in a deal with the EPA to avoid an emissions recall. The warranty covers almost everything that can cause the check engine light to come on except damage or normal maintenance items.

the warranty is extended to 14 years or 150,000 miles. if u have under 150,000 miles then the chances r whatever is causing the problem will be repaired at no cost under the warranty.

most dealers will tell u that there is a diagnostic charge to determine what is wrong. if the problem is covered by warranty then honda pays for it. if they find a cause other than a failed part or manufacturing defect then u r liable for the diagnostic charge. an examples of somethings that would not be covered is if the fuel in ur gas tank is contaminated & that is causing the problem or if a spark plug is worn out or if u had a critter living under ur hood that ate through a wire harness for lunch. other than that, almost everything is covered.

call the honda dealer & ask them what their diagnostic fee is so u know in advance. if u have over 150,000 miles & want the car checked out for free, go to an autozone parts store or an aamco transmission store. both advertise they will retrieve the codes for free.

hope that helps